Syrian food: discover traditional cuisine

AISH – traditional leavened bread.

KA’AK – oval-shaped ring breakfast bread covered with sesame seeds.

MARKOUK – very thin, unleavened wrapping bread.

MANAKISH – flatbread, topped with za’atar and olive oil.

MAQLUBA – rice-based casserole with fried vegetables (tomato, cauliflower, eggplant, potato), and lamb placed in a pot which is flipped upside down when served.

BULGUR PILAVI – bulgur wheat with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and broth. It is often served as a side dish

MUJADDARA – a classic Syrian dish from together cooked lentils and rice, flavored with cumin and crispy fried onions.

FATTEH – layers of toasted or fried pita bread, chickpeas, and garlicky tahini yogurt sauce, topped with roasted pine nuts, cumin, and clarified butter.

FATAYER – pastry pockets filled with anything – yogurt based cheese, spinach, meat, potatoes. Snack or light lunch food.

HARAK OSBAO – “He burnt his fingers” – a name hinting deliciousness is for hearty lentil and dough stew, topped with onions, pomegranates and cilantro.

HUMMUS – spread from mashed chickpeas with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and olive oil.

BABA GHANOUSH – essential Middle East eggplant dip of chunky texture. Made from roasted eggplants, flavored with pomegranate seeds or molasses, garlic, olive oil, walnuts, tahini may be omitted in Syria. Served as a part of mezze.

MUTABBAL – a classic mezze of roasted eggplant mashed smoothly with tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice, sometimes yogurt. Served with bread, its more rich and creamy than baba ghanouj.

FALAFEL – a mix of ground chickpeas flavored with onion, garlic, cumin, and coriander; rolled, fried, or baked.

FASOLIA – green beans cooked in a tomato sauce with garlic and onions, served with rice, and sometimes includes lamb.

MAKDOUS – a dish of oil-cured aubergines. Part of Levantine cuisine they are miniature, tangy eggplants stuffed with walnuts, red pepper, garlic, olive oil, and salt.

FATTOUSH – Levantine salad made with toasted bread, mixed greens, radishes, tomatoes and tangy sumac and pomegranate molasses dressing.

TABBOULEH – fresh parsley, mint, bulgur, tomato, cucumbers, green onions, olive oil, and lemon juice salad famous in the Levant.

YABRAK or YAPREKH – grape leaves stuffed with rice, lamb, onion, parsley, and za’atar mix, cooked in a pot with tomatoes, garlic, and lemon juice.

KOUSA MAHSHI – stuffed zucchini filled with rice, minced meat, and spices, cooked in a tomato-based broth. It’s a staple in Syrian homes.

MALFOUF – stuffed cabbage rolls with rice, minced meat, and spices, then slow-cooked in a broth with garlic and lemon.

MUHAMMARA – a meze dip (that can also be a sauce) made from roasted red peppers, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, garlic, and Aleppo pepper. It has a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor.

KIBBEH BIL SANIEH – baked kibbeh where a layer of bulgur and meat mixture is spread into a tray, filled with spiced ground meat and onions, and baked.

KIBBEH HALABIYEH – fried version, shell made from bulgur, lamb, onions, allspice, cumin encapsulated filling of cumin, hot pepper paste, onions, and sometimes meat.

KIBBEH MABROUMEH – cigar-shaped, rolled kibbeh shell filled with savory ground meat, onions, pine nuts, spices, and deep fried or baked.

KIBBEH NAYYEH – raw version of kibbeh, lamb or beef mixed with bulgur, onions, mint, cumin, and allspice, drizzled with olive oil

SHAWARMA – slow-cooked lamb, chicken, or beef, outer shaved to a flatbread with fresh veggies and pickles, sauced with tahini, garlic, and/or pomegranate molasses.

KAFTA – ground meat mixed with onions, parsley, and spices, shaped into patties or logs, and grilled or baked. It is typically served with rice or in pita bread with vegetables and tahini sauce.

SHISH BARAK – lamb dumplings cooked in a yogurt-based stew, the ultimate comfort Middle East meal

DAWOOD BASH – ground beef or lamb meatball stew with tomatoes.

SHAKRIYEH – lamb (or sometimes beef or chicken) cooked in a creamy yogurt-based sauce, a comforting, rich dish typically served with rice or bulgur.

SFIHA – small, open-faced meat pies made from ground lamb or beef, mixed with onions, tomatoes, and spices, and baked on thin flatbread.

SAMKEH HARRA – spicy fish dish, typically made with a whole fish (often sea bass or grouper) that’s fried and then baked with a spicy red pepper and walnut sauce.

SAYADIEH – a popular dish consisting of fish (usually white fish like sea bass or cod) cooked with spiced rice and caramelized onions. It’s often served with a tahini sauce.

GRILLED SARDINES – fresh sardines are grilled and served with a squeeze of lemon.

LABNEH – a thick, creamy yogurt cheese made by straining yogurt to remove most of its whey, served drizzled with olive oil and herbs as a dip or spread.

AKKAWI – a white, brined cheese from cows or sheep milk with, a slightly salty flavor with a smooth, firm texture.

SHAKRIYA – sour milk and lamb soup with pine nuts, chickpeas, yogurt, garlic, and cinnamon.

HALAWET EL JIBN – sweet cheese rolled up in a thin layer of semolina dough. The roll is then cut into bite-sized pieces and drizzled with sugar syrup.

BAKLAVA – phyllo dough filled with finely chopped walnuts, pistachios, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Layers are baked and soaked in orange blossom water.

MA’AMOUL – a stuffed pastry that contains dates, figs, or other sweet fillings enjoyed during special occasions and holidays.

HALVA WITH PISTACHIO – sweet crumbly mix from tahini, sugar and pistachio.

HAREESEH – A traditional dessert made with semolina, sugar, and ghee, then topped with almonds or pine nuts.

BARAZEK – cookies with sesame seeds, coarse pistachios, and orange blossom water.

AISH EL SARAYA – layers of bread soaked in sugar syrup layered with clotted cream and pistachios.

QATAYEF – pastries stuffed with pistachios or walnuts and deep fried and soaked in syrup.

BOOZA – ice cream made of milk, cream, sugar, mastic (essentially tree sap), and sahlab (orchid flower). It’s the mastic that gives it the stretchy texture.